USB Help

Troubleshooting USB Playback Issues

If you're encountering issues playing your USB drive on your device, it’s important to note that different USB devices—such as car players, audio decks, and multimedia players—may not all support the same file systems (e.g. FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT). If your device displays an error such as "unsupported file format" or shows the USB as empty, it’s often due to a mismatch between the file system on the USB and the format supported by the playback device.

Solution: Converting the USB to a Compatible File System

If you're experiencing such issues, the first step is to connect your USB drive to a Mac or PC. These systems support all major file systems (FAT32, NTFS, exFAT), allowing you to view the files on the USB drive regardless of the format. 

Steps to Convert Your USB to a Compatible Format:

  1. Check File Visibility:
    Connect your USB to your Mac or PC. If the files are visible, proceed to the next step. If the USB appears empty or unreadable on your computer, please contact us for further assistance.
  2. Backup Your Files:
    Select and copy all files from the USB drive to your computer.
  3. Identify the Required File System:
    Determine which file system your playback device supports (e.g., FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT). Additionally, check whether your device supports folder structures, as some devices do not.
  4. Format the USB Drive:
    Use your computer’s operating system to format the USB drive to the required file system. Follow the appropriate formatting instructions based on your OS (Windows or macOS).
  5. Reorganise Files (if needed):
    • If your device supports folders, you can copy and paste the files back onto the formatted USB drive.
    • If your device does not support folders, you will need to extract the files from their folders and copy each individual track directly onto the USB drive.
  6. For DJs Using Pioneer Decks/Controllers:
    We recommend copying all folders as described above, then importing them into Rekordbox. Analyse and export the tracks back onto the correctly formatted USB drive for optimal compatibility with Pioneer equipment.

Transferring Songs to an iPhone or Android Phone

If you wish to transfer the songs from your USB to your iPhone or Android phone for portable listening, follow the instructions below for each platform:

For iPhone (via iTunes or Finder):

  1. Connect Your iPhone:
    Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC.
  2. Open iTunes or Finder:
    • On macOS Catalina or later, open Finder.
    • On older macOS versions or Windows, open iTunes.
  3. Select Your Device:
    In Finder or iTunes, select your iPhone from the list of devices.
  4. Import Songs:
    • In Finder or iTunes, go to the Music section.
    • Drag and drop the song files from your computer (those you copied from the USB drive) into the iTunes or Finder window.
    • You can also use the Add to Library function to import the files.
  5. Sync Your iPhone:
    After adding the songs, click Sync to transfer the files onto your iPhone.
  6. Play the Songs:
    Once the sync is complete, open the Music app on your iPhone to access and play the songs. 

For Android Phones (via USB or File Transfer App):

  1. Connect Your Android Phone:
    Use a USB cable to connect your Android phone to your Mac or PC.
  2. Enable File Transfer Mode:
    On your Android phone, swipe down the notification bar and select the option that says "File Transfer" or "Transfer Files" (the wording may vary depending on your device).
  3. Open File Explorer:
    On your Mac or PC, open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), and locate your Android phone, which should appear as a connected device.
  4. Copy the Songs:
    • Find the folder containing the songs you copied from the USB.
    • Select and copy the files, then paste them into your Android phone’s Music folder, or any other folder you prefer.
  5. Eject Your Phone:
    Once the transfer is complete, safely eject your phone from your computer.
  6. Play the Songs:
    Open your preferred Music app on your Android phone (such as Google Play Music, Spotify, or another third-party app), and browse for the songs in the library.